Tension was thick yesterday in sections of Warri Federal Constituency as indigenous Ijaw and Urhobo communities shut down major oil facilities.
Daily Independent states that oil facilities that shut down include Kenyagbene (Abiteye) Flow Station, Otunana, Jones Creek Flow Station, Odidi 1 & 2, Batan, Ogbanabou, Egwuatu 1 & 2, Makaraba, Olero and Opuekaba Flow stations, that shut down about 400,000 bpd production.
The demonstrators are demanding for the quick execution of the Supreme Court mandated Warri Federal Constituency demarcation report provided by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The demonstrators, made up of women, youths and community leaders from some riverine areas, brandished placards with inscriptions such as “INEC: Implement Warri Delineation Report,” “Court Ordered Judgement on Wards and Polling Units Delineation,” and “No Implementation, No Production.”
“The protest is to force INEC to implement the Supreme Court judgement and the delineation report presented to stakeholders in Asaba on May 20, 2026,” the community leader, Chief Dr. (Mrs.) Marian Ebike A. Ogoba, told journalists at the Kenyagbene (Abiteye) Flow Station.
Mrs Ogoba said “reason we are here is because of the delineation exercise done by INEC based on the Supreme Court judgement. We own these towns that produce the oil and gas that sustains the economy of Nigeria, yet we continue to suffer marginalisation.
“Not fighting anybody. We are merely asking for our rights. “We want INEC to do the needful as ordered by the Supreme Court. “If we don’t get our rights this facility will remain closed. Nothing will happen here until INEC does the right thing”.
Madam Fanty Goodness Owotorufa, another opinion leader who spoke, said the communities were calm but motivated to guarantee implementation of the judgement.
“The Supreme Court has given its ruling on the demarcation of Wards.” Madam Owoturufa added, The rest is implementation. “That’s why we’re here.” We are peace-loving people, but we want INEC to respect the Supreme Court judgement.
The folks here now are from those areas. We are not making any trouble. “We are only interested in the implementation of the delineation report which has been approved and announced”.
Also, the immediate past secretary and opinion leader, Benikrukru Community, Dr. Paul Boyitie, accused INEC of delaying the implementation of a procedure it had finalised.
He stated that the Supreme Court in 2022 ordered a fresh delineation process in Warri Federal Constituency which was subsequently conducted out by INEC and the final report delivered to stakeholders in Asaba on May 20 this year.
“The report clearly identified the Wards occupied by Ijaw, Urhobo and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities,” Dr. Boyitie remarked. Stakeholders were invited. Objections were heard. The final report was filed.
The question is, why is INEC not willing to implement its report?” We are the majority in these areas and we will not permit any minority group to decide our political future.
“We are prepared to participate fully in the 2027 general elections under the approved delineation structure. We will not leave till INEC implements the report.” “We have the power to shut down operations in our territories because we can’t keep adding resources to the federation and remain politically marginalised.”
Protesters at the Otunana Flow Station were also adamant that oil production would not start until the demarcation report is implemented.
Speaking on behalf of Kokodiagbene Community, Madam Edith Odafe, stated that the protest was just to get the implementation of the approved Wards and State Constituencies announced by INEC.
“We came here because of the introduction of the Wards and State Constituencies that was approved and presented to us by INEC on the 20th of May, 2026.
“The exercise was conducted in a peaceful manner and the outcome was fed to stakeholders. What we are asking for now is the implementation. “We have closed down this flow station and we will continue to until our demands are met”.
Mrs. Gladys Kele, a community spokesperson from Krukrudagbene, also addressed the gathering, saying that the people were merely asking for what was theirs by right.
“We don’t want trouble,” Mrs. Kele said. We don’t want no fight. We are here to see that the wards that have been assigned to us are carried out. Nobody should take what is ours and nobody should interfere with our rights.
“We will stay here till we get what is ours”.
The demonstrators called for the execution of the Warri Federal Constituency Delineation Report to guarantee fair political representation ahead of the 2027 federal elections.
The protest was peaceful as at the time of reporting this report but the demonstrators pledged to continue to shut down oil facilities until INEC implements the demarcation report announced in Asaba.
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